Interchangeable earring clamp



Feb. 25, 1964 R. D. HORLAND INTERCHANGEABLE EARRING CLAMP Filed May l5,1962 INVENTOR RICHARD D. HORLAND ATTOHNE Y United States Patent3,122,007 INTERCHANGEABLE EARRING CLAMP Richard D. HOllfiIld, 29Crestmont Road, West Orange, NJ.

Filed May 15, 1962, Ser. No. 194,793 1 Claim. (Cl. 63-12) This inventionrelates generally to earring clamps or mountings and the principalobject of the present invention is to provide a new and improved earringtype ornament mounting, including car gripping means so constructed andarranged that the clamp or mounting may be readily used with eitherpierced or non-pierced ears.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedearring type ornament clamp or mounting including a pair of hingedlyconnected clamp members adapted to engage the inner and outer sides ofthe ear lobe, the earring being convertible from a clamp type earringfor use with non-pierced ears to an earring for use with pierced ears byadding a pin member adapted to pass through the lobe of a pierced ear.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improvedearring type ornament clamp or mounting including hinged clamp membersadapted to engage the inner and outer sides of a non-pierced ear andadjustable spring means for moving one of said clamp mem bers in aclamping direction, the clamp members being perforated to permit the useof a pin-like member as an ear attaching pin to adapt the earring foruse with pierced ears.

A further object of the invention is to provide an earring clamp ormounting that is simple and rugged in construction, economical tomanufacture and highly efficient for the purposes intended.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an earring clamp constructionembodying my invention, an ear ornament being shown in dot-dash lines insupported position.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an earring clamp ormounting which may be readily used with either pierced or non-piercedears. By constructing the earring clamp or mounting in accordance withthe present invention, it is possible for manufacturers and distributorsto keep their stock inventory at a minimum and yet provide awide rangeof selection for their customers. The clamp or mounting is soconstructed that the clamping pressure of the clamp arms is adjustable,providing greater comfort for the wearer, Furthermore, earrings can bemore easily displayed since only one type of box and display unit isrequired to hold the earrings properly. Earrings can be convertedwithout use of special tools very quickly by the merchant to meet thespecial requirements of the purchaser.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 an earring clamp ormounting is shown and designated generally by the reference numeral Anear ornament 12 indicated in dot-dash lines is shown supported on theclamp. The clamp 10 comprises a generally inverted U-shaped frame oryoke member 14 having spaced clamping arms 16, 18' positionable on theopposite sides of the ear lobe to which the earring is to be fastened,the ornament being secured to the outer side of arm 18' by soldering orin any other suitable manner.

The clamping arms 16 and 18' are joined by a curved bight portion 20formed integrally with the arm 18'. Arm 18 is slotted along itslongitudinal center as indicated at 22 forming a pair of flexible armmembers 24, 24 movable toward and away from each other. The arm members24, 24' continue into the curved bight portion 20. The bight portion 20is formed with a pair of perforated ears 26, 26 at the sides of its freeend and with a perforated lug 28 extending perpendicularly to the bightportion and parallel to the arm members 24', 24' in the same direction.

Clamping arm 16 is formed with a flat body 30 formed with an outstruckspring tongue member 32 intersecting one end of the body. The same endof the body is formed with a pair of opposed trunnions 34, 34 journalledin the perforated cars 26, 26 of the arm 18'. The other end of the bodyis formed with a central hole 36. An adjusting headed screw 38 isinserted in a threaded hole 37 in the free end of tongue member 32 andthrough the hole 40 in lug 28 of arm 18'. A split sleeve bearing member42' is sleeved over the arm members 24, 24 and supports the ear ornament12, the bearing member 42' being soldered to the ornament.

The earring clamp or mounting 10 shown in FIG. 1 may be used withnon-pierced ears by inserting the frame 14 of the clamp over the lobe ofthe ear with the clamping arm 16 on the inner side of the lobe and theclamping arm 18' on the outer side of the lobe and by setting up on thescrew 38 the spring member 32 with the clamping arm 16 moved toward theear lobe thereby clamping the ear lobe between the clamping arms 16 and18.

The clamping arm 18' is formed with an integral extension 60 in the formof a solid plate 62 of the same width as the arm 18 but connected to thearm members 24, 24 by means of a slanting joint 64 thereby positioningthe plate 62 on a different plane than the arm members 24, 24'. Sleevemember 42' is sleeved over arms 24', 24'. The plate 62 is formed with acentral slot 66 intersecting its outer free end thereby forming curvedbifurcated ends 68, 68. The earring clamp or mounting 10' may be usedwith a pierced ear by frictionally sliding the shank of a headed pin 50'through and along the slot 22, with the head 52 of the pin underneaththe arm members 24, 24' and in interlocking engagement therewith, thefrictional engagement of the pin shank with members 24, 24 permittingthis operation. The shank thus extends toward the clamping arm 16. Thepin may be inserted through the aperture in the ear lobe by spreadingthe clamping arms 16 and 18' a suflicient distance to permit theinsertion of the ear lobe and then pressing the arm 18' with ornament 12attached toward the lobe and forcing the pin through the pierced lobeand through the hole 36 in arm 16. In this position, the pin willprevent the clamp or mounting 10' from slipping oif of the ear lobe ofthe user.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodirnent of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

In an earring clamp construction, a generally inverted U-shaped framehaving spaced aligned clamping arms adapted to be positioned on oppositesides of an ear lobe, said arms being hingedly connected at one end, oneof said clamping arms having an elongated central slot, an extension onthe free end of said slotted arm, said extension including a flat platedisposed in a plane olfset from the plane of the slotted arm, saidextension slotted along its longitudinal center and intersecting one endthereof forming bifurcated ends, the other of said clamping arms havinga central hole at its free end and having an outstruck portionconstituting a spring tongue, an adjusting screw carried by the springtongue and contacting the other clamping arm for biasing said otherclamping arm toward the slotted clamping arm, a headed pin having an endadapted to project through the opening in a pierced ear and through thehole in said other clamping arm, said pin being extended through theslot in the extension on the slotted arm between. the bifurcated endsand being releasably held by said ends, said hinged connection includingperforated ears on said slotted clamping arm and trunnions on the otherclamping arm journaled in said perforated ears, and a split sleevecarried around the slotted clamping arm for supporting an ear ornament.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

